Audi TT 2009 Review

The swoopy Audi TT coupe has received an engine transplant to go Porsche hunting.  The leaner and meaner $133,700 TT RS has Porsche's performance benchmark Cayman in its sights.

Drivetrain

Under the aluminium bonnet is a turbocharged direct injection 2.5-litre TFSI five-cylinder mated to Audi's quattro all-wheel drive.  It is an engine that has a strong links to Audi motorsport and can trace its roots back to the first Audi quattros in the 1980s.

Audi engineers have tweaked the in-line five to punch out 250kW at 6500 revs and 450Nm from 1600 revs.  This gives the RS a zero to 100km/h sprint time of just 4.6 seconds and governed top speed of 250km/h.

Buyers looking for a little bit extra can option up the car with a $3900 carbon package that raises the top speed to 280km/h.  To cope with the added performance there are a host of performance additions, from larger 19-inch alloys to beefier brakes and Audi's magnetic ride control. Unlike the Cayman, the RS is available only as a six-speed manual.

Styling

Visually there are special RS-design elements including a diamond-look grille, large side air inlets and brushed alloy exterior mirrors.  A fixed rear wing spoiler and diffuser insert with oval exhausts complete the picture.

Sales

Audi Australia expects to sell around 80 a year, according to managing director, Joerg Hofmann.  "Our RS models, while niche, are always very popular for buyers wanting the ultimate in performance," Hofmann says.

In Europe the RS is available as a Roadster but this is not coming to Australia, according to Audi product planning boss, John Roberts. Roberts says RS volumes will be small, making up just 5 per cent of overall TT sales. The most popular model remains the 2.0 TFSI.  Roberts says the rest of the TT lineup carries on remains unchanged.

The RS will not replace the 3.2 TFSI model, he says.  "There is room for both," he says.  "The 3.2 is still available and it will remain a part of the lineup."

Body

The RS benefits from the newest generation TT's larger, longer and lighter aluminium space frame body.  The four-seater tips the scales at 1450kg and uses 69 per cent alloy construction up front and steel at the back.

Equipment and options

Apart from the carbon package, adaptive headlights are $780 and a premium Bose sound system costs $1377 while metallic paint adds $1377.  Standard kit includes Audi designed front bucket seats upholstered in Nappa leather.

There is also a DVD-based sat-nav system with MMI operating logic including a glovebox-mounted CD changer, brushed aluminium inlays, a flat-bottomed leather multi-function sports steering wheel, a boost pressure indicator, an oil temperature gauge, a lap timer, automatic air conditioning, and xenon-plus headlamps with LED daytime lights.  The arrival of the RS brings the TT model count up to seven.

Driving

AS fashion statements go, the TT RS is the automotive equivalent of Jennifer Hawkins with attitude.  Not only does it ooze style but it has a healthy degree of substance thrown in.  It is no poser either, with a potent five-cylinder engine and stick-like-clue handling.

The look is crisp but perhaps more importantly, so too are the car's dynamics, which help lift the TT game to a new level.  It is the brawniest TT by far, with a 10mm lower ride height, fixed rear spoiler, some serious five-spoke alloys on low-profile rubber and a more aggressive body kit.

The transversely mounted light-weight 2.5-litre five-cylinder is a treat. It's hard to believe that it can trace its roots to some VW group commercials.  Audi has fiddled with the engine internals though.

It gets a vibration damper to smooth out the beat, the pistons are caste aluminium and the crankcase is made from high-tech graphite cast iron for strength and low weight.  At idle the 2.5 has a distinctive five-cylinder pulse and at full throttle gains a wonderfully sing-song note.

For a little more spice you can press the "S" button on the console and the car's whole character changes.  The throttle map is changed and the more raucous exhaust lets everyone know this engine is a five-cylinder with attitude.  Not only does the RS sound good, but it also performs as you expect.

It will hit 100km/h in 4.6 seconds but that's not the half of it.  The engine will punch through sharp corners, making full use of the quattro all-wheel drive. The six-speed gearshift is precise, if a little notchy.

The RS's grip and steering is reassuringly confident while the standard magnetic ride control makes the ride amazingly supple for a sportscar.  However, on the sport setting it is very firm and probably best suited to track days. Audi describes it as "uncompromisingly stiff" and that's a fair assessment.

While the engine's mid-range shove is impressive it will still let you doddle along in top gear at 60km/h without complaint.  The TT's cabin is beautifully executed and like all Audis, impresses with its level of quality and attention to detail, even down to the thick  rimmed flat bottom steering wheel.

The hip-hugging seats are impressive but for easier access the standard sports seats - a no cost option - may be better for day-to-day use.  At a pinch you can also fit passengers in the rear seats - just.  The RS will certainly make Cayman buyers think twice.

But if performance is a key criteria, the RS raises the question of why you'd bother with the TT 3.2-litre V6.

Audi TT RS

Price $133,700
Engine turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder
Power 250kW at 6500 revs
Torque 450Nm from 1600 revs
Transmission Six-speed manual
Economy 9.2 litres/100km (combined)

Rivals

Porsche Cayman S Still the benchmark luxury sportscar ($157,300)
Nissan GT-R Built for the track rather than the road ($155,800)
Nissan 350Z 3.7 Coupe Don't dismiss it just because of the price ($67,990)
BMW Z4 sDrive 35i Folding roof adds to the enjoyment ($116,900) Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 Two-seater but heaps of fun ($118,000)